Past Reflections
by Slrmn82
Summary: COMPLETE When the crew are kidnapped, Harper and Tyr must work together to find them.
1. Default Chapter

Past Reflections 1/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
Authors Notes: Rated PG-13 for now, may go up to R in later chapters due to possible slash content and violence  
  
After three long weeks aboard the Eureka Maru, Tyr and Harper were thrilled to once again be within hailing distance of the Andromeda. With their mission to obtain Jeridian Ore a success, all either of them could think about was a soft bed and a hot meal, not necessarily in that order. Due to their preoccupation, neither noticed anything amiss until they had docked the Maru in Holding Bay 12. As Tyr shut down the Maru, Harper made his way off the ship with the ore, in an attempt to put some much needed distance between himself and the resident Nietzschean. Being around any Nietschean for extended periods of time brought out unpleasant memories of Harper's years on Earth. Most of the time Harper didn't have the time to think about it, what with the Andromeda being constantly in danger, but being in confined quarters with Tyr afforded him with time to brood. This is why Harper didn't realize that Captain Hunt hadn't come out to meet the incoming ship upon landing to get a success report. As soon as Harper stepped out of the holding bay Holo-Rommie, the ships holographic AI, materialized in front of him looking quite distressed for a warship.  
  
"RomDoll, what's the matter?" Harper immediately asked once he saw the barely concealed panic on the Avatar's usually emotionless face.  
  
"Is Tyr with you?" Rommie asked.  
  
"Yeah, he's right-"  
  
"Behind you, Little Man." Tyr interrupted, startling Harper in the process. "What seems to be the problem, Ship?"  
  
"Dylan and the rest of the crew have been kidnapped. My AI is offline on Deck 72 and many of the ship's systems are down." Andromeda responded while phasing in and out of sight.  
  
"We leave for three weeks, and everything goes to hell in a hand basket. Where was the crew taken, and by whom?" Harper asked trying to remain calm, while imagining all the worst possible scenarios his well-versed mind could come up with.  
  
"Four ships came out of nowhere two days ago and attacked without warning. Before we could defend ourselves, I was hit with an electric plasma burst. It knocked out my AI and most other essential systems, when I came back online earlier today the others were missing. Their ships left a fuel signature, but it was so minuscule that I could not isolate it to follow their course. "  
  
"I may be able to fine tune the tracking system depending on the type of vessels we are looking for. Do we have a visual snan before your systems went offline?" Harper asked in a reasonable tone of voice., hoping to calm down the warship.  
  
"Look at the terminal to your left and I will replay the scan from before the battle. However, I doubt it will do you any good. The ships were of unknown origin and are not in my databanks." Rommie answered morosely, only to be cut off by an irate Tyr.  
  
"If you were not aware, you have a 300-year gape in your database records. Since both myself and Mister Harper have actually lived in these times more then six months, perhaps the ship analysis should be left to us. Now, you will show us the footage….Now!" Tyr practically growled at the hologram.  
  
After a few seconds the silence was filled with the sounds of weapons fire. Four large white ships appeared out of nowhere, looking like three-dimensional diamonds. Harper was so preoccupied with the fire fight onscreen that it took him by surprise when he heard Tyr swear under his breath. Dragging his attention to the Nietzschean by his side, he noticed that Tyr kept clenching his fists and looked ready to hit something.   
  
"You know these dudes, Big Guy?" Harper asked.  
  
"The Talasian Guard. Only the top mercenaries and bounty hunters for hire in the known worlds. We need to assess the damage to this ship, first and foremost, then we can strategize our next move." Tyr growled in response to the ships on screen. While striding towards the bridge with Harper following at his side.  
  
"You know Big Guy, when Dylan pisses people off, he does it in grand style." 


	2. An argument and a breakdown

Past Reflections 2/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
Authors Notes: Rated PG-13 for now, may go up to R in later chapters due to possible slash content and violence  
  
After forty-six hours of repair work, tinkering with the tracking system and little sleep, the Andromeda was fully operational, and her avatar was capable of navigating the ship.  
  
"Admit it Tyr, I'm a freakin' genius!" Exclaimed Seamus Zalanzy Harper, Andromeda's engineer and self-proclaimed god. The only response was a snort from Tyr that could either be interpreted as amused or annoyed-and-barely-keeping-his-homicidal-urges-in-check. With Tyr it was hard to tell. He has the whole imposing warrior thing down to an art form.  
  
"I will withhold comment until it is determined that we can follow the Guard's fuel trail."   
  
Harper was tempted to stick his tongue out at Tyr but decided against it due to the fact that he needed that particular organ intact to be able to proclaim his genius to the world. Instead he initiated the newly improved tracking system and waited for the coordinates to be calculated astronomically. A few minutes later a star chart came on screen showing the ship's trajectory and destination.  
  
"They are heading into the Orion system. Setting a course to follow. ETA to Braxus 7: Three hours and twenty-seven minutes. After which time Rommie will navigate the Andromeda Ascendant, leaving you free to dock the Maru on Braxus 7." Andromeda's hologram said, appearing briefly after which point she disappeared altogether.  
  
"This day just keeps getting better. How are we going to rescue the crew on a world inhabited by murderers, criminals and mercenaries?" Harper asked, directing his question at Tyr, who looked as unperturbed as ever.  
  
"You are familiar with Braxus?" Tyr asked raising an eyebrow curiously.  
  
"I was stranded there for a few weeks, three years back, when a supply run of Beka's went bad." I explained giving him the least amount of details possible. "After I got back on the Maru I had hoped never to see it again."  
  
"I wouldn't worry Little Man. I plan on going planet-side alone." Tyr responded. "I am sure you can keep yourself busy and out of trouble until I get back."  
  
"Like hell you are!" Harper snarled while grabbing Tyr by the upper arm when it looked as if he would leave. None of Tyr's surprise showed on his face as he stared down the human engineer. Feeling intimidated by Tyr's anger, Harper backed off and put ten feet between them.  
  
"I'm going with you. I would suggest Rommie, but unfortunately she wouldn't be fully operational by then. Believe me, I don't want to go down there anymore than you want me there, but someone has to watch your back."  
  
"You're a liability in a fight, boy. I will most likely be forced to rescue you if you insist on accompanying me. In case you had forgotten , I was a mercenary before I joined Dylan's idealistic mission. As such I can handle a few cutthroats." Tyr reminded him.  
  
"True, but I would feel better if I was with you. This isn't up for discussion. I will either go with you or I will follow you down there." Harper acknowledged.  
  
"What makes you think I am interested in making you feel better? I could always knock you out and lock you in the brig until I return." Tyr snarled, his voice dripping venom. Since Harper's determination to go had already convinced Tyr, he was just waiting to see how long Harper could remain serious without cracking a joke. He had never seen this side of Harper before, and quite frankly was having trouble reconciling it with the sarcastic, perpetually bouncy engineer he thought he knew.  
  
"Nothing, but in this case what makes me feel better will also enhance your chances of survival." Harper sneered the last few words, making his contempt obvious to the Nietschean.  
  
"Awfully sure of yourself, Little Professor." Tyr commented quizzically.  
  
"Do you really think I would risk my life going down to an outlaw world to rescue three people accompanied by a Nietschean of all things, if I thought there was no chance of survival?" Harper questioned incredulously. "Give me a little credit Tyr. I am not about to throw my life away after having survived for twenty-four years."  
  
"Very well, if you insist on going we should get ready. We have about an hour before we can disembark on the Eureka Maru. Be on time." Tyr ordered, leaving Harper behind on the bridge.  
  
Harper sat down in Dylan's chair with a sigh, resting his head in his hands, only now allowing his fear to show. He would never give Tyr the satisfaction of seeing him scared, but a life full of Nietschean oppression wasn't easily gotten over in a few months. Now that he was alone the terror he felt standing up to Tyr, as well as the idea of volunteering returning to Braxus, kept in check because he couldn't afford to show weakness in front of a Nietschean, crept out in the form of shaking hands and a few tears. He stayed hunched in place with his whole body shaking for a few minutes until he finally got himself back under control. Harper made his way off the bridge back to his quarters to gather supplies, never seeing the leather and chain mail clad Nietschean watching him from the shadows. 


	3. Raiding the closet

Past Reflections 3/?  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
Authors Notes: Rated PG-13 for now, may go up to R in later chapters due to possible slash content and violence.  
Thanks for the reviews they encourage me to keep at it. You guys are great grins   
And Now...  
Raiding the Closet  
Once Harper got back to his quarters he immediately went to his closet. There on the very bottom was a hidden compartment where he stored some supplies from his years on Earth. After he came aboard the Andromeda he hid them and tried to put all of his past memory behind him. Reaching his hand into the compartment he took out a high tech lock pick , night vision and infrared gear, a modified blaster, a vast assortment of bombs, including shrillers and two daggers. Leaving them on the floor he proceeded to go through his clothes until he found what he was looking for at the very back of the closet near the wall. Harper picked up the worn leather duffel bag and dumped its contents on the bed after which he placed the bag on the floor next to his other goodies. Harper changed into the leather trench coat after donning a pair of black pants and green mesh shirt.   
  
The weapons were mostly a stockpile from Earth, with the exception of the blaster, whereas the clothing was purchased on Sinti Drift after Beka dropped him off the first time. His clothes up until he left Earth were mostly rags stolen off of dead bodies, and sewn together pieces of fabric. So his first pieces of real clothing were bought with most of his life savings, bought so that he could hope to fit in with the criminals and drifters. Even though the months that followed were some of the worst in Harper's admittedly short, yet well-versed life, he kept the clothes as a reminder of where he'd come from and who he had been.  
  
After he put the lock pick gear and surveillance equipment into the duffel bag, Harper proceeded to arm himself as he hadn't felt the need to do in years. Before he was done, Harper had a dagger strapped to the small of his back as well as one on his left leg, the blaster holstered on his right hip, while he filled the inner pockets of his trench coat with shrillers, micro-thermal bombs, and the cables for his data port.  
  
Walking the halls of the Andromeda wearing his old gear seemed surreal to Harper as he made his way to where the Eureka Maru was docked. Carrying the extra weight of the both the weapons and trench coat was a little uncomfortable at first, but once Harper got used to them again it caused no further problems. Upon entering the docking bay, Harper saw Tyr moving supplies off the Maru to be replaced with fresh rations and fuel, since they had just returned from a mission everything else was already accounted for.  
  
"Are you planning on helping me Harper, or just standing there staring all day?" Tyr asked without turning away from his inventory startling Harper in the process. Without answering Tyr's question directly Harper moved to help the Nietzschean catalog the rest of the equipment. As Harper moved directly into Tyr's line of sight, he couldn't help gasping softly in surprise at Harper's change in wardrobe.  
  
"What? If I'm planning on going down there, I am going to look the part of a mercenary….So what do you think?" Harper asked while striking a dramatic pose. "Will I do?"  
  
"No one will believe you're disreputable with that grin on your face, Little Man." Tyr commented while smirking at Harper's antics.  
  
"Come on man, do I look dangerous or not?" Harper whined shoving his hands in his pockets.  
  
"The clothes don't make a man dangerous. You are trying too hard, and for god sakes mercenaries don't bounce around. Stand still." Tyr growled playfully. "Let's go before I change my mind."  
  
After the supplies were on board and the ship was refueled Harper and Tyr disembarked leaving strict instructions for Rommie to monitor them at all times once they reached the surface. Although she was still angry at being left behind, Rommie was more concerned with her missing crew, and so agreed to let Harper accompany Tyr down instead. It took 1.7 hours for the Maru to get to Braxus and by the time they arrived it was after dark. Gathering up their belongings they made their way off the ship and onto the docking ring.  
  
"If I remember correctly there is a small hotel over a bar in that direction." Harper said pointing passed the panhandlers and vendors to his left. "We can start searching and dropping names tomorrow after we get a good nights sleep."  
  
"Lead the way." Tyr gestured encouragingly, all the while keeping close watch of those in the immediate vicinity.   
  
The people on this planet were exactly the type he worked with as a mercenary: skilled in their chosen field and always looking out for themselves. For the most part that philosophy bothered him not at all, he still being a Nietzschean after all, but now after being "domesticated by humans" these people just made him extremely wary. Of course he would never share that particular observation with anybody. He did have an image to maintain after all. Still, he was worried about the crew. Although they could all look after themselves for the most part, with the note able exception of Harper, this kidnapping, made Tyr uneasy. It had a well-planned, ruthless quality to it that Tyr had to admire, but not when it was responsible for hurting his pride. And these often annoying, mismatched group of people had become his pride, and by extension his family.   
  
Tyr pitied those responsible for their capture because one thing he knew for sure was that the crew of the Andromeda were loyal to each other, as was evident with Harper, and that was when they were the most dangerous. The boy was obviously uncomfortable being on this planet, but you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at him. Harper blended in surprisingly well with the natives, and his face was impassive and ruthless looking. The only thing that hinted that Harper was uncomfortable was his close proximity to Tyr. Usually Harper never gets within touching distance of Tyr unless he has no choice, the fact that in this case, a Nietzschean is the lesser of two evils, gives a good idea of how scared Harper really was.  
  
As they entered the bar, Tyr noticed Harper put his hands in his pants pockets in a seemingly innocent gesture which just happened to show his blaster hanging low on his hip. He didn't give Harper credit for being so premeditated. Most of the inhabitants of the bar were Nietzscheans, glancing around Tyr saw crests from the Sabra-Jaguar, Drago-Katsov, Panther-Libra and Lizar-Mendar Prides. It seemed they walked right into a meeting of sorts for Nietzscheans, looking over at Harper he noticed the momentary surprise pass over his face before it once again was expressionless. Taking control of the situation Tyr sauntered up to the bay, closely followed by Harper, ignoring the glares and calculating looks directed their way, Tyr sat down and ordered a synthol. He raised a questioning eyebrow when Harper simply ordered a water rather than an alcoholic beverage, and then set about covertly observing the room.  
  
"What the hell are we supposed to do to keep ourselves occupied for two days until Galileo arrives?" Harper whined petulantly, while deliberately projecting his voice so that the nearby patrons could hear. "God I hate transport ships. They are never on time."  
  
"There is nothing we can do except wait until he gets here. Now stop your whining boy, or I will snap your neck!" Tyr growled convincingly while idly caressing his glass, keeping an eye on who was listening to their conversation.  
  
"Better men than you have tried, Uber! Yet I'm still alive." Harper jeered while taking a hearty swig of his water and getting the barkeep's attention. "I need a room for tonight as far away from this bastard as possible." After throwing some throngs on the bar in payment for a room and the drink, Harper grabbed his bag and the key and made his retreat up the back stairs, cursing Tyr's lineage as he went.  
*********************  
  
Please review. Any ideas on plot, I'm kinda stuck :-) 


	4. Harper gets mad, then goes to sleep

Past Reflections 4/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
Harper Gets Mad Then Goes to Sleep  
  
It only took twenty minutes after Harper went upstairs for two Nietzscheans to approach Tyr as he continued to sip his drink with practiced nonchalance.  
  
"I didn't think there were any Kodiaks left alive after the attack on your home world." The Nietzschean to Tyr's left commented as he sat down without permission.   
  
Tyr had to clench his teeth to keep from growling at the arrogant and disrespectful pup seated next to him. This Neanderthal had no sense of proper etiquette when talking to his superiors. To an Alpha such blatant disrespect could not be tolerated. By not introducing himself to an Alpha, the Sabra-Jaguar, not only was rude, but he challenged Tyr's position as Alpha of Kodiak. Although for the most part Tyr tends to forgo such customs with the humans, here he can not afford such insolence. It could be detrimental to their mission. Before the pudgy Jaguar could blink, he was slammed face-down on the countertop with a 244 pound Nietzschean's hand around his throat.  
  
"I am Tyr Anastazi out of Victoria by Barbarosa. Alpha of Kodiak pride, and who might you be child?"  
  
"Andar Saprem out of Trada by Oberon." The Nietzschean gasped out.  
  
"Did you wish to dispute my claim as Alpha, boy?" Tyr growled tightening his hold on the Jaguar's throat.  
  
"No.. Alpha.. I meant no offense. Forgive my presumption." Andar pleaded, letting his body go slack while gasping for breath.  
  
"I have snapped people's necks for less offense." Tyr mentioned casually, caressing the others hair in a mocking gesture of affection. "However, I have more pressing things to occupy my time. Also I don't particularly feel like attracting undue attention to my actions so soon into my stay. My pet kludge may start whining."   
  
As he released Saprem Tyr heard the snickers and whispers his comments caused.  
  
"Forgive my Beta, and unfortunately cousin, for his ignorance. I am Mackenzie Fargo out of Trada by Valasquez." The second Nietzschean explained in the strong voice of a fellow Alpha, while Saprem took a cautious step backwards. "However it seems my 'pet' is not the only one in need of discipline. I am curious why you would let a mere kludge speak to you in such a manner." Fargo asked.  
  
Tyr sneered at the Alpha, while he frantically tried to come up with an excuse for Harper's behavior. "I do not discipline my pets in front of others, not that I need to explain myself to you, but it is more entertaining in private." Tyr explained not at all looking forward to telling Harper of this latest development. "Speaking of which, I believe I have given the boy enough time to stew. If you happen to hear screaming do not come running. I will be busy."  
  
He sneered maliciously at the two Nietzschean as he got up, leaving no need for speculation to the activities he would soon be partaking, as he made his way up to Harper's room. He didn't think the human would be amused to find he'd been claimed by a Nietzschean. Without knocking Tyr entered room 32 and made his way to where Harper lay in bed. Before Tyr could announce his presence however, he was staring down the barrel of Harper's blaster looking into the engineer's still-weary eyes. Harper placed his gun next to him on the bed, only after a tension filled glace at Tyr, all the while making sure the gun was well within reach. Under normal circumstances the human would at least make a token effort to hide his distrust of the larger man, but Harper was taking no chance on Braxux 7.   
  
"Whoa big guy. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Harper asked after his heart rate did indeed slow down considerably. "You could have knocked, man."  
  
"I couldn't very well knock on the door of my pet kludge now could I Master Harper?" Tyr asked, raising an eyebrow waiting for Harpers reaction.  
  
"Excuse me?" Harper asked incredulously. "Repeat that."  
  
"Neither one of us were expecting that bar to be full of Nietzscheans. If we hope to find the others our cover needs to be secure, and no Nietzschean Alpha would allow a kludge to speak to them in that way. Unless you were my pet and could punish you for your impudence, I could find no other solution." Tyr explained rationally.  
  
"But I am not your pet, Tyr."  
  
"I know that, and you know that, but you are going to have to act the part in front of anyone else. In this case you need to do what I say and act submissively."  
  
"I will not-"  
  
"It is the only way to save the crew, boy. Is your pride so important that you would let Dylan, Beka, and Trance rot on this world?" Tyr questioned harshly when it looked like Harper would still balk.  
  
Before Harper could answer, Tyr roughly shoved him back on the bed, so he was sprawled across it with Tyr looming over him. Even though Harper didn't think the Kodiak would seriously injure him, years of survival instincts caused him to scramble for his discarded gun. Right before Harper could reach if however, Tyr casually knocked it to the floor. In an attempt to remain calm Harper tried to move out of the Nietzscheans reach without Tyr noticing, but he was quickly pinned underneath Tyr with his wrists in caught in a bruising grip above his head.  
  
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Harper snarled furiously, still trying to dislodge Tyr from on top of him.  
  
"Teaching you a lesson boy. It is high time you were reminded who your superiors are." Tyr growled in Harper's astonished face, while single-handedly ripping his shirt from his body.  
  
After a second of shocked disbelief Harper started to fight the Nietzschean frantically trying to escape and do as much damage as possible in the process. The terror was poring off of the engineer in waves as Tyr roughly caressed his chest, while rubbing his lower body against him, but that didn't stop Harper from tearing a groove in the hand that was holding him down drawing blood.  
  
"You Uber bastard! Let me go, you son of a bitch! I will tear out you bone spur and cut your throat while you sleep, Anastazi." Harper bellowed.  
  
A pained whimper escaped Harper when Tyr bit down roughly on his right nipple drawing blood. Pain flooded through Harper's chest leaving him whimpering helplessly as his body arched away from the painful sensations. As his vision start to blur at the edges, the pain unexpectedly stopped and a weight lifted off of Harper's body, giving him freedom of movement. Opening his eyes, Harper saw Tyr standing a few feet away from him leaning against the wall, with no hint of aggression on his face. Looking at Tyr's impassive countenance, Harper felt an all-consuming fury fill him the likes of which he hadn't felt in a very long time. In three steps Harper was standing in front of Tyr with the dagger he kept strapped to his back at Tyr's throat.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Harper growled menacingly, only letting the blade up slightly in order for Tyr to answer the question.  
  
"The Jaguar Alpha was attempting to spy on us. I heard him approach and did what needed to be done. If I had warned you and you had pretended to be hurt, even if you were particularly convincing, Fargo would have been able to smell the absence of fear from down the hall. You needed to believe I would have hurt you for the charade to be convincing." Tyr explained.  
  
Harper remained motionless as he listened to Tyr's explanation trying to judge Tyr's sincerity. "I understand, and it was necessary. But if you ever do something like that again I will kill you." Harper said in a remarkably calm voice as he took the dagger away from Tyr's throat, but not before nicking his jugular in the process.   
  
It took most of Tyr's self-control to keep himself from attacking the boy for threatening him with a knife. Without turning his back Harper made his way to the bathroom, presumably to clean the bite mark on his chest. When Harper left the room Tyr extended his hearing so he could observe the 'little professor.' As he expected, Tyr heard noises coinciding with water being used. What did surprise Tyr, and also helped to cool his ire however, was Harper mumbling to himself as he washed. "I'm fine… Not hurt… Just Tyr, not Dragans…. Not on Earth… safe…. Just Tyr… 'm fine…"  
  
Tyr continued to listen as he remade the bed and picked up the blaster to put it on the table. He had just finished tidying and unpacking when Harper re-entered the room. Tyr carefully sat down in an armchair furthest away from Harper's position while keeping his hands in view. Harper snorted at Tyr's actions. It seemed the he thought Harper was going to go ape-shit again and attack him.  
  
"So how are we going to use my status to our advantage?" Harper asked still not happy to be forced into submission by an Uber even if it was only a pretense. "You want me to cower at your feet fine, but this better get some results.."  
  
"It will work. It should only be a matter of time before we can buy or barter information about the others. If we stick around long enough, I am sure to come across old business partners who could possibly help us for the proper incentive." Tyr explained.  
  
"Alright. We should try to sleep while we can. Tomorrow we should start as early as possible. I might be able to find a merchant who can help us, if he is still on this planet that is." Harper mused in between a yawn as he made himself comfortable on the bed. He placed his two daggers beside the gun on the table beside the bed and burrowed under the covers. While Harper was doing his best to feign trying to sleep it was obvious to the Nietzschean that Harper to nervous to comfortably fall asleep. Without conscience thought Tyr took off his shirt and leather trousers and climbed into bed next to Harper.   
  
Harper did his best to act oblivious but his increased heart rate gave him away. When his discomfort did not show signs of alleviating on it's own, Tyr placed a gentle hand on Harper's shoulder trying to sooth away the fear with an affectionate caress.   
  
"I'm sorry I scared you, child. But we had limited options… I am aware of you hatred of my people and your dislike of me specifically. However, I would not intentionally cause you harm… You are safe in my care, Little Professor…… Sleep now."  
  
And he did. 


	5. Enter Malick

Past Reflections 5/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
They had been walking around the marketplace for a few hours with no luck. Tyr had tried his big bad Nietzschean routine while Harper had cowered behind him carrying his bag. It was actually kind of heavy because Tyr made a point of haggling with some of the mercenaries and smugglers they came across. Already he had bought an antigravity bomb and a gamma pistol, both very heavy and both very expensive. Harper followed Tyr around walking behind him and keeping his head down, trying to look scared and helpless. He did such a fine job that no one paid him much attention except when Tyr would grab or shake him for walking to slow. They walked up to a deserted alleyway and started down until Tyr stopped at a hidden entrance, only then Harper realizing that they weren't just walking aimlessly. After knocking once the door was opened and they made their way inside the dimly-lit interior.  
  
Although Harper had no idea where they were going and could barely see two feet in front of him, Tyr seemed to know which way to go instinctively. Upon entering a circular shaped room the door closed behind them, and they were quickly surrounded by three mercenaries. Standing back to back, they both dropped down into fighting positions waiting for the first man to attack.  
  
"What do you want, Nietzschean?" The lumbering giant of a man directly across from Tyr asked.  
  
"I am looking for slaves to help me run my ship." Tyr growled not relaxing his posture at all.  
  
"Let's try that again. It is well known that Kodiak do not take slaves." The second man commented as they continued to circle Tyr and Harper. "Besides the boy doesn't exactly act like a slave."  
  
Looking back at Harper, Tyr wasn't overly surprised to see him sneering at one of their attackers. He definitely didn't look like a broken little mud foot. Before he could more then curse Harper under his breath the three mercenaries had their weapons drawn and pointed at them, which in turn caused Tyr and Harper to draw their own guns. It was an old-fashioned Mexican standoff, no one moving for fear the other would shoot. Before the mercenaries could question them further however, everyone was distracted.   
  
Everyone's attention was so focused that Harper and Tyr were startled by a door, unseen until then, opening behind where they were standing. In the doorway stood a fairly non-descript human with shaggy brown hair, maybe 5'9", wearing black slacks and a long black pullover, which helped to cover his scarred left arm.  
  
"Malick." Harper exhaled taking a step in the mysterious man's direction only to be stopped by a blaster aimed at his face.  
  
"Shay, I thought it was you." The man whispered breaking out into a wide grin. "Put the weapons down gentlemen. He's an old friend."  
  
Without waiting to assure they complied Harper launched himself at Malick, who did much the same thing. They met somewhere in the middle for a bone-crunching hug laughing all the while.  
  
"My god man, you're alive." Malick exclaimed joyously slapping Harper on the back. "I thought for sure the Nietzschean's got you at the Angeles Compound."  
  
"They did capture me, but I didn't stay in custody long. Let's just say that nobody else will ever have to worry about that slave camp. It is now a pile of rubble."  
  
"My god, Shay! There were over one thousand Dragans in that compound." Malick commented, thoroughly amazed at Harper's ingenuity. The only response from Harper was a self-satisfied grin.  
  
"Little Man, we don't have time for reminiscing right now." Tyr reminded Harper softly, although he was grateful that they seemingly wouldn't have to fight their way out of the current situation.   
  
"Care to introduce me to your friend?" Tyr asked stepping into the light so that he could be better seen. Before Harper could make the proper introductions however, Malick had a force-lance, stockpiled from the old commonwealth days, pointed at Tyr's head.  
  
"Malick man, what the hell are you doing?" Harper intervened stepping in between the two.  
  
"Dammit Shay. He's a Nietzschean!" Malick snarled.  
  
"Nobody's perfect, Malick. He's Tyr." Harper grinned trying to defuse the tension. "He's family." Harper said soberly, when it became obvious that Malick wouldn't back down.  
  
"Family?!?" Malick questioned incredulously.  
  
"Yes… Granted he's the scary, surly, intimidating as hell cousin who I never talk to except at family functions but, yeah he's still family." Harper explained seriously. "And he's under my protection so put the force lance down."  
  
"If he starts any trouble…"  
  
"He won't." Harper reassured him, glaring at Tyr. "Will you?"  
  
"I will not start anything." Tyr answered, making it obvious that he would be more than willing however, to finish any conflict.  
  
"Alright Shay, since it's you." Malick agreed putting the force lance in it's side-holster and reopening the door that he entered through. "Follow me." 


	6. A Business Arangement

Past Reflections 6/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
A Business Arrangement  
They were led into what Harper could only assume were Malick's private apartments considering the simply furnished rooms, Malick never was one for over indulgence most likely a trait picked up on Earth. After dismissing two of the three guards, Malick gestured for Harper and Tyr to make themselves comfortable, making no move to introduce the man remaining.  
  
"I wish I had the time to catch up, but right now I am in need of information. Seems you would be the one to talk to." Harper explained, no sign of his earlier jubilation in his voice.  
  
"A business arrangement, then?" Malick questioned.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I would need 5,000 throngs up front and another 2,000 after you make use of any information gathered on your behalf." Malick said in an equally serious voice.  
  
Not having that kind of money, Harper looked toward Tyr to see if he could cover that amount. The Nietzschean made no comment just handed over a credit chip. After the money was withdrawn, Tyr sat back ant let Harper explain the situation.  
  
"We need to know where the Talasian Guard dropped off the crew of the Andromeda Ascendant, with whom, and where they are now. Also, blueprints of the building they are being held in." Harper explained, watching as Malick eyes got wider as he continued on. "Any weaknesses of their defenses and if necessary a cover story to get us inside."  
  
"You don't ask for much, do you Shay? The price just doubled, due to the amount of Intel that you need. I want another 5,000 now incase things go wrong." Malick explained while trying to figure out what happened to the kid he knew. Shay was no where in attendance in the man named Harper, and that deeply upset him because Shay used to be his best friend once upon a time. Of course none of the internal conflict ever showed on Malick's face. Business was business after all.  
  
After raising a questioning eyebrow his way, Tyr once again gave his credit chip to Malick grumbling threateningly as he did so.  
  
"It will take me a day or so before I can get this amount of information. Feel free to stay in the guest suite while you two wait. Free of charge of course." Malick offered, his eyes twinkling humorously now that the serious discussion was over for at least the day. He then got up to talk to Jace, thereby giving the two room to discuss his offer without being intrusive.  
  
Harper looked toward Tyr to gage his reaction to the offer. Tyr however, was glaring at him looking rather annoyed.  
  
"Just because you knew this man a few years ago on Earth does not mean you can trust him now." Tyr said in an undertone, keeping his voice low enough so that Malick and the guard he was speaking to could not overhear. "The building could be unsecured for all we know, he is a mercenary after all."  
  
"Like you." Harper reminded him.  
  
"That is exactly my point."  
  
"Meaning you'd sell us out if it was to your benefit." Harper sneered disdainfully.  
  
"This surely isn't news to you, Little Man." Tyr commented, while silently wondering when the opinion of the annoying kludge began to matter to him.  
  
"Of course not. That's why you just lost 10,000 throngs in a selfless attempt to find the others. Harper snickered thoroughly amused. Before Tyr could come up with a properly cutting retort Malick interrupted the fledgling argument.   
  
"So what's it to be?"  
  
"We'd be thrilled to stay." Harper exclaimed, excited at the prospect of talking to his old friend again. As the four walked out the door Harper put a restraining hand on Malick's shoulder as Tyr and the guard walked ahead, although Tyr was still aware of Harper's position and listening for danger. "It's good to see you again and the only reason we agreed to stay here is because I trust you. If you betray that trust, I promise you there will be no place for you to hide." Harper explained in a calm voice, which left Malick no doubt as to Harper's sincerity. A shiver ran down his spine remembering how dangerous Shay could be to his enemies when his family was threatened.  
  
"I wouldn't expect anything less." Malick answered, still surprised that a Nietzschean would be included in Shay's family. On Earth the only people Shay would risk his neck for was his family, otherwise he would keep out of everyone's way, trying to draw the least attention to himself.  
  
"Good, now let's forget about business for now. Tell me what you have been doing since Earth?" Harper asked quickly relaxing back into his perpetually bouncy persona. 


	7. Harper's Story

Past Reflections 7/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
Harper's Story  
Later that evening Harper left Tyr in their suite as he went in search of Malick. A guard showed him into a room filled with surveillance equipment when he was caught wandering the hallways. While a nondescript man continued to monitor the video feed being relayed, Malick was sitting behind a desk immersed in paperwork. When he saw who had entered Malick immediately put down the flexi he had been reading and got to his feet.  
  
"Come on, Shay. This stuff can wait." Malick explained as he led Harper out of the room through a hidden entrance which led to a courtyard. "Sit down and relax, man. You look stressed, tomorrow will come soon enough no use worrying about it until then."  
  
"Yes it will." Harper responded thoughtfully taking a sip of the Synth Ale Malick poured for him.  
  
"The way you're worrying over these people I would think they are your blood kin. Since you have no relatives off world, just who are these people to you?" Malick questioned curiously. "You already know what I've been doing since I was smuggled off of Earth, I don't even know how you managed to escape Angeles, let alone get off Earth, and settle up with the baddest warship in the known worlds."  
  
"Which part do you want me to answer first?"  
  
"We have all night, why don't you start at the beginning."  
  
"After we were separated in the camp a group of Nietzscheans came into the cell and beat me within an inch of my life. Then after chaining me to a wall and burning me with oil, the real interrogation began. The Niet that questioned me, Joseph, had a neural inhibitor implanted in my neck, which was the Ubers first and last mistake. That night they left me unchained because I was so weak that Joseph didn't think I would be able to cause any trouble. You see I overheard two guards mentioning a transfer of prisoners scheduled for later that night. The only inhabitants still in the compound were the overseers and those being 'questioned.' I used this information and the inhibitor to my advantage. I physically cut it out of my neck with my fingers and went to work. It only took me a few hours to use the components to create a thermal bomb, capable of leveling a building with a timer I set for an hour, using wire I tore out of the roach infested mattress. "  
  
"Just before the guard came to escort me back to my torture chamber, I armed the bomb and the guard, expecting a barely conscious kludge, was taken by surprise when he entered. Seeing my bed in shambles, he tried to turn around, but before he could complete the movement I had tackled him and used my momentum to knock him into the wall. From there it was easy to use his own bone blades to impale him with. I didn't stay long enough to make sure he was dead. I merely took his weapon and blasted my way out of there, taking as many Ubers out as I could and rescuing those I could find. You should have seen it, Malick. Here I am a naked little kludge covered in blood and barely standing, leading an army of near skeletons out of the most heavily armed prison in Boston. Man, it was classic!"  
  
"Damn Shay, I always knew you were dangerous. Remind me never to piss you off." Malick said grinning, although looking slightly wistful. "I wish I could have been there, Man."  
  
"No worries. Things seemed to work out for the best." Harper acknowledged heartily slapping Malick on the back. "Now do you want me to finish this story or what?"  
  
"Go ahead. I wouldn't want to interrupt his majesty when he's speaking." Malick said with a smirk.  
  
"See that it doesn't happen again, lowly scum." Harper answered in a faux serious voice. "Okay, so where was I?"  
  
"You had just rescued some little kitties from a tree…"  
  
"Smart ass." Harper grinned. "So we had made it past the outer perimeter and since it was still night we could hide under the cover of darkness. A few minutes later the alarm was raised so the eleven of us split up. Just when it looked like the Ubers were onto our trail, the explosion rocked the city and they broke off pursuit. It just so happens that a few weeks later I was able to buy my way on a supply ship due to my engineering genius. It seemed the Eureka Maru came into a bit of trouble during a pick up, resulting in a dead engineer and a broken slipstream drive. I was given safe passage out of Dragan space in exchange for fixing their ship. I would have taken Brendan with me but he had gone to Port Charles to find passage off world when I had been captured. Captain Valentine dropped me off at Sinti Drift. I didn't see her again until six months later. From there I traveled from place to place offering my services to any ship in port."  
  
"Eventually after one particularly disastrous job on a freighter ship, I got a message from Beka Valentine offering me a permanent position as her engineer. I jumped at the chance to get away from where I was currently living on Omega Prime, barely surviving day to day on any odd job I could find. When I met up with the esteemed Captain Valentine and the Maru once again, I was surprised to find a purple alien woman with a tail and a Wayist Monk who just so happened to be a Magog, among her crew. I didn't think I would be able to survive much longer the way I had been living, so I decided to stay on for a little while at least. "  
  
"A little while became three years, and in that time I became good friends with Beka and Trance, and I could even be in the same room as Rev, the Magog Monk, without cringing or reaching for my blaster. During a random salvaging mission we came upon the Andromeda stuck in a black hole, and a few wayward mercenaries lead by our resident Nietzschean Tyr Anastazi. Using the ship's grapplers, we were able to extract the ship and it's three hundred year old captain, from the gravitational pull of the black hole. The rest as they say is history. We found Dylan aboard the ship, he convinced us all into helping him rebuild the commonwealth-"  
  
"Why would he want to do that?" Malick asked. "I'm still confused. Why was Dylan on this ship in the first place, and what is so good about a three hundred year old body, wouldn't it be decomposed by now?"  
  
"Sorry, I got ahead of myself there. Captain Dylan Hunt was an officer in the Commonwealth before it's collapse three hundred years ago. At the Battle of Witch Head he was betrayed by his Nietzschean first officer, during all the commotion the ship was knocked off course and into the black hole. He and the ship's AI Rommie, were held in suspended animation until we dragged them out of the black hole, three hundred years in the future. He convinced us in his mission and now we go around signing whole worlds onto the charter to restore the Commonwealth."  
  
"I heard rumors of an insane crew going from world to world trying to convince others of the validity of the All Systems Commonwealth, but I never though I would know one of the psychos personally." Malick gasped out in between chuckles. "But I thought you were the ultimate pragmatist, Shay. This doesn't sound like something you would get mixed up in."  
  
"Normally I wouldn't be involved in a pipedream like Dylan's but I stay on the Andromeda for three reasons. One, my family is there and since all my blood relations are now dead, they are all I have left. If they want to go on this fools mission, then I will be there to make sure they all survive the attempt. Two, at first it seemed like an idealistic duck hunt, but now little by little the concept is spreading and new worlds are signing on weekly. The third reason is based solely on survival, mine and everyone else's. The Magog Worldship is coming and if we all fight it on our own we will die, slowly and extremely painfully. Only if all of the free worlds stand together do we have a chance at surviving the upcoming onslaught. You and I both know what the Magog are capable of. Now picture that carnage on a universal scale and you will understand the benefits of Dylan's vision."  
  
"My god! Will it really be that bad?" Malick asked, shaken by the mere scope of an invasion of Magog that large.  
  
"I would never joke about the Magog. You know that." Harper reiterated. "That's why finding the crew is imperative for so many reasons. But don't worry we still have at least another year and a half until they are within range, and by that time Dylan's Commonwealth should be a reality."  
  
"That explains what you are doing on the Andromeda, after all if Armageddon is coming I wouldn't expect you to be anywhere else. That doesn't explain however, how you came to claim a Nietzschean as a member of your family."  
  
"He's saved my life twice directly and countless other times as well. Don't get me wrong. I trust Tyr to be Tyr, that is to worry about himself first and foremost. However, I also trust Tyr to watch my back, which he has in fact been doing since he came aboard the Andromeda."  
  
"Alright, I trust your judgment Shay. Just be careful. Now what do you say we get some rest. My informant should have made contact by tomorrow, so hopefully you'll be able to rescue your friends over the next couple of days." Malick suggested getting rather drunkenly to his feet.  
  
"'Kay Malick, I'll see you tomorrow bright and early."  
  
Harper entered the darkened suite cautiously, not wanting to knock over anything in his inebriated state and wake up Tyr . Harper made his was to the edge of the bed stripping down to his briefs as he took each stumbling step. His fuzzy mind didn't realize he was getting into a bed already occupied by his Nietzschean crewmate. Instead, Harper put his spare dagger under his pillow and he lay down snuggling into his warm 'covers.' Between one breath and the next he was sound asleep, for possible the first real rest he had gotten since the misbegotten mission to obtain Jeridian Ore, a little over two weeks ago. 


	8. The Problem With Waking Up

Past Reflections 8/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
The Problem With Waking Up  
Tyr woke up early the next morning to the not entirely unwelcome sensation of being cuddled up to a warm body. The pleasant interlude didn't last for long however, as said warm body began moaning and squirming in the throes of a nightmare. It took Tyr a second to realize he was in bed with Harper, and that the boy was trembling in fear from the demons that haunted his sleep. Tyr had no idea whether he should wake Harper up, or simply let him regain awareness himself. On the one hand, the nightmare he was having seemed to be particularly vivid if his whimpering was any overt indication. On the other hand, waking up in the arms of a Nietzschean, any Nietzschean, may just make matters worse. Harper wasn't comfortable in Tyr company at the best of times, so he would most likely become very uncomfortable if he were to find himself sleeping practically on top of the larger man. Having decided he was going to let Harper wake up on his own, Tyr was just about to try to get back to sleep when the boy's agitation seemed to escalate.  
  
"Boy, wake up." Tyr said gruffly trying to shake Harper awake. It worked all too well, as Harper startled awake at the sudden movement. Before he could bolt however, Tyr gathered Harper's squirming form against his chest. Unfortunately Seamus, still in the grip of his nightmare, saw Tyr's bone spurs and assumed he was being held by a Dragan. Before Harper could have a full-blown panic attack however, Tyr started purring softly in an attempt to calm the panicky engineer down.  
  
"What the hell?" Harper exclaimed, calming slightly due to the unexpected rumbling.  
  
"Be still, Little Man." Tyr murmured soothingly.  
  
"Tyr?!?"  
  
"What other Nietzschean were you expecting to be in bed with?" Tyr asked, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice, as Harper pushed himself up so he was looking Tyr in the face.  
  
"Considering I don't even know how you came to be in bed with me in the first place, I'd say that it's a moot point." Harper snarled back. "I'm so glad I can amuse you, Tyr."  
  
"If this is how you treat all your bed partners, it is no wonder you often sleep alone, Little Professor." Tyr idly commented, laying back comfortably with his head pillowed in his hands, watching in amusement as the boy practically jumped off him.  
  
"Um… bed partners?" Harper squeaked. "Tyr, Big Guy… we didn't, uh, do anything I should be kicking myself for not remembering did we?" Harper's only response was a raised eyebrow from the Nietzschean, who was taking obvious pleasure in torturing him. "What I meant to say was that I was obviously drunk so if I did or said anything that makes you want to, say for example, beat me into little Harper-sized pieces, keep that in mind." Harper stuttered looking at a point just over Tyr's right shoulder.  
  
"If anything had happened between us Little Man, I promise you would remember it the next morning, whether you were drunk or not." Tyr commented casually causing Harper's gaze to snap back to Tyr's face. Although Harper was no longer straddling the Nietzschean, Tyr could still smell the arousal practically flowing off the other man.  
  
"I'll, uh, keep that in mind." Harper replied while still backing away from Tyr uncertainly. "I'm just going to catch a shower. Malick will be waiting for us in a little over an hour." Harper practically ran out of the room at the first opportunity after gathering a change of clothes.  
  
"Well, that was certainly unexpected. Who would have guessed that Harper couldn't take a little teasing." 


	9. Complications by the Name of Bolivar and...

Past Reflections 9/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
Complications By the Name of Bolivar and Justaice  
Exactly one hour and twenty-six minutes later, Harper and Tyr were being led into Malick's office and were brought breakfast while they waited for him to arrive. They were each a third of the way through their meal when Malick entered the room carrying several flexis in his hand. Waiting until they both finished their breakfast, Malick handed a stack of flexi disks to each of them, across his desk.  
  
"It seems that the plan just got a little more complicated, gentlemen. A Nietzschean Alpha hired the Guard to capture Dylan Hunt and his crew, although the exact number of crewmembers were unknown, which explains why you two are not being hunted down. The bad news is that Xatrek is auctioning them off to the highest bidder. It seems Xatrek holds Dylan directly responsible for the rebellion across the Slave Worlds."  
  
"The one thing that Captain Perfect wasn't responsible for in the last year." Harper snorted. "Sheesh some people get all the credit."  
  
"If I may continue?"  
  
"Sorry. Go ahead."  
  
"Since Tyr has already introduced himself as an Alpha to some of the inhabitants, there should be no problem with you joining the auction. Harper will however, need a new identity, although he will still be undercover as your pet. Perhaps we can use nanobots to color your hair black." Malick said thinking through the possible obstacles out loud. "The top flexi is a list of all the other bidders, including their pride affiliation, weaknesses and net worth, as well as the ships they arrived in."  
  
The only sounds heard for the next few minutes was soft breathing as Harper and Tyr read over the list of Nietzscheans attending the auction.  
  
"We have a problem." Harper stated looking slightly ill. "Actually make that two problems."  
  
"Archduke Charlemagne Bolivar will be in attendance." Tyr growled menacingly. "Bolivar has been looking for just such an opportunity. With Dylan captured he will try to renege on the treaty he signed with the Commonwealth to get more power."  
  
"True, but there are ways to gain compliance from the Archduke, Justaice on the other hand could very well get us all killed."  
  
"Justaice?" Tyr questioned.  
  
"An old-" Harper grimaced looking for a word and settled for the inaccurate "acquaintance."  
  
Tyr merely continued to look at him waiting for a more detailed explanation.  
  
"He blames me for the death of his family." Harper explained keeping his face carefully blank and his trembling hands hidden in his pockets. "And rightfully so."  
  
"How are you responsible for the death of this Uber's family?" Malick asked.  
  
"They were in the Angeles Compound when I blew it up." Harper answered. "Justaice is not exactly forgiving."  
  
"Hmm… so little man, I assume you crossed paths again." Try commented asking no questions that the engineer would feel uncomfortable answering in front of others. Sensing the frightened man underneath the nearly impregnable mask Harper was wearing, Tyr was willing to let the questioning go until they were alone. Harper looked remarkable grateful for Tyr's new-found tact.  
  
"Three years ago, I was holed up on this planet waiting to be contacted by a suppliers of Beka's, when Justaice happened upon me. As it turned out he had been looking for me on all the drifts and backwater planets that he came to."  
  
"I assume the meeting didn't go well." Malick commented.  
  
"No it didn't. Needless to say, Justaice will recognize me quite easily, whether I am wearing a disguise or not."  
  
"You will just have to be more convincing that you are in fact my pet. We will merely have to come up with a date and story about how I captured you that will convince him of the validity of my claim." Tyr said giving Harper a long accessing look.  
  
"You'll be able to enter the compound by giving this coin as you enter the establishment." Malick said handing Harper a metal coin with the Drago Katsov crest on it. "What you do once you are inside is up to you. The electronic blueprints are included, and as you can see, the top floor is very lightly guarded. There are also tunnels that run underneath the whole of the compound making a covert escape that much easier."  
  
"When does the auction take place?" Tyr asked.  
  
"Tomorrow night."  
  
"Shit. That doesn't give us much time to prepare." Harper cursed. "Alright thanks, man. The rest of your money will be transferred to you once we all make it back out alive."  
  
"Oh don't give me that pessimistic bull. If I know you Shay you'll walk out of there smelling like daisies." Malick answered smirking. "So I expect my money in a timely manner."  
  
"Ya, Ya." Harper said standing up and giving Malick a tight hug. "I'll see ya on the other side, man."  
  
As the two men walked out of the building and in to the alleyway Tyr kept glancing at Harper out of the corner of his eye as if trying to figure something out. Eventually Harper lost his patience.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Did you noticed that your accent changed while you were talking to the mudfoot?" Tyr asked.  
  
"Did it? I hadn't even noticed, but it does make sense, me being from Earth and all." Harper answered pragmatically.  
  
"You have not been living on Earth for over four years." Tyr reminded him.  
  
"What's your point, Tyr?" Harper asked curiously. "At least I assume you have one."  
  
"It seems to me that on Earth you were more mercenary in your outlook."  
  
"I had to be, big guy. That was the only was to survive for twenty years on that hell-hole." Harper explained while waiting for the other shoe to drop.  
  
"Perhaps you should use those oft-hidden survival instincts more often. So far you have made an impressive showing of yourself."  
  
"Once I open that particular can of worms, I can't close it again." Harper sighed exasperatedly.  
  
"Explain." Tyr ordered.  
  
"After I started to work for Beka permanently, I didn't need to watch my back constantly. We all looked out for each other. I tried to block out my time spent on Earth as much as possible, less nightmares that way. Now I only have one or two a week, rather then one every night. If I can help it I don't think about Earth at all because once I delve into the memories, things tend to jump out of the woodwork and bite me in the ass." Harper explained stopping as Tyr did right before the end of the alley.  
  
"Simply bite them back harder." Tyr added looking the engineer in the eye, before he began walking again. Tyr meant more than he was willing to say, but Harper didn't have the inclination to analyze it. "That's what I would do." 


	10. The Real Story of Justaice

Past Reflections 10/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
The Real Story of Justaice  
  
An hour later, Tyr was sitting in a chair in their room back at the bar, waiting for Harper to explain what happened between him and Justaice.  
  
"Look boy, whatever your relationship is with this man, I need to know about it. We can not afford any undue surprises."  
  
"Dammit, Tyr." Harper cursed, pacing the room like a caged lion, holding himself to ward off the sudden chill. "I don't like to talk about this stuff."  
  
"I understand that, but if the Dragan is going to challenge me for you, I need to know the whole story." Tyr explained through gritted teeth, obviously getting annoyed at his evasive answers.  
  
"Don't interrupt me at all, or it is not getting said." Harper warned glaring. He reluctantly sat opposite Tyr on the bed. Focusing on a point above Tyr's left ear, Harper began his tale.  
  
"A little over three and a half years ago I was dropped off on this planet for a couple weeks while waiting for a supplier to contact me. About a week into my stay, I met up with Justaice. I didn't know who he was at the time, but he sure knew who I was. Justaice did not know anything about Beka or the crew, and assumed I was drifting, working on my own like I would have been on Earth. He quickly and efficiently knocked me out and none of the witnesses did anything to help. I was just a kludge after all." He said bitterly, rubbing his left forearm distractedly before continuing. "I woke up in the dark. I still don't know exactly where I was being held. Anyway, Justaice took great pleasure in enlightening me as to his identity. For the next week and a half I was tortured, raped and mutilated repeatedly, without mercy, until my contact on-planet managed to find and rescue me."  
  
"Little Professor…" Tyr tried to interrupt but Harper just talked over him in the same dead voice he had been using since the start of his monologue.  
  
"The others don't know what happened because they were off picking up Trance from Sinti at the time. Once they arrived to pick me back up I just looked like I was mugged, so I stuck with that story. Beka and the others just laughed it off as typical Harper bad luck and I let them. I haven't been back to Braxus 7 since then, until now."  
  
"Will you be able to handle seeing him again?" Tyr asked matter-of-factly, trying to keep Harper's mind on the present. Although Tyr would never admit it, he wanted to comfort the engineer who was obviously in a great deal of pain. Some of Tyr's naked concern bled into his gaze, although his face remained impassive, which gave Harper the strength to pull himself together.  
  
"I don't have any choice." Harper answered resolutely, surprised when Tyr stood up and sat down next to him on the bed.  
  
"No." Tyr said in a gruff voice, giving Harper's shoulder a reassuring pat before quickly letting go. "But, I promise you this Seamus Harper. Before we leave this planet, I will personally make sure Justaice is dead."  
  
Upon seeing the disbelief on Harper's face Tyr smirked. "Unless you'd like the honors." 


	11. Meeting Bolivar

Past Reflections 11/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
Meeting Bolivar  
  
"You are sure you can accomplish this?" Tyr asked for the fifth time as he paced their room the next afternoon.  
  
"Tyr, everything will be fine." Harper tried to reassure the worried Nietzschean.  
  
"How do you expect to get on to Bolivar's ship undetected?" Tyr asked incredulously. "Perhaps I accompany you. After all, if you get captured I will have to free all of you alone."  
  
"Listen Big Guy. You seem to be forgetting the itty-bitty fact that I survived Nietzschean raids and Magog hunting parties for over twenty years while I lived on Earth. I'll be okay. Barely any Nietzscheans will be in the engine room, and if I time it right it will be empty because the others will be on the planet getting ready for the auction." Harper explained. "Besides, you'll be busy meeting with your contacts and getting supplies for tonight."  
  
"Very well, but I am warning you, Little Man. If I have to come get you…"  
  
"Yeah, Yeah." Harper mumbled as he grabbed his blaster and left the room, stealthily exiting through the back door.  
  
===========================================================================  
  
Approximately three hours later they entered the building where the auction was scheduled to take place Tyr was wearing his usual leather pants and metal vest, as well as a long black trench coat full of hidden compartments. He had a large gun strapped noticeably to his hip, which too attention away from the slight bulge on his arm, caused by his concealed force-lance. In the pockets of Tyr's coat he had a variety of Harper's bombs, plus an electronic locking device from the Andromeda. Once they got out of the main room with the rest of the crew, Tyr would activate the device, causing everyone still inside the room to be trapped inside.  
  
Harper had no weapons on him, as such he was trusting Tyr to watch his back. His clothing was so threadbare that there was no place to hide a concealed weapon of any kind, but he did indeed look the part of a human slave. As he walked in behind Tyr, they were soon surrounded by Nietzscheans of many different prides.   
  
The only thing distinguishing about most of them was their crests and armaments. Harper looked washed-out in his tan pants and matching shirt, quite a contrast from his usual loud multi-colored ensembles. Harper was vastly uncomfortable being surrounded by so many Nietzscheans, especially the Drago Katsov. It came too close to reminding him of Earth. As it was Harper was drawing into himself in order to look as helpless as possible, which wasn't at all difficult considering he was barely keeping a handle on his rising panic. He was inwardly cursing himself for having forgotten the horrors that were out there, simply because he felt protected on the Andromeda. Here he was braving the species he feared most in the universe, besides perhaps the Magog, all in an attempt to rescue three people. On Earth he never would have put himself into that kind of situation for anyone, with the exception for Brendan.  
  
Harper nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand suddenly gripped the back of his neck. Turning to see who grabbed him, he saw Tyr, now walking beside him seemingly dragging him by the scruff of the neck.  
  
"Come on, kludge." Tyr growled dismissively, looking at him with barely concealed 'disgust.' Harper almost missed Tyr's whispered comment under the din of talking Nietzscheans. "Keep it together, Little Professor."  
  
Instead of Tyr's grip on him feeling oppressive and restricting, it instead offered him a small amount of comfort and allowed him to push his terror away slightly. If any of the crew had seen Harper over the next half an hour they would have been shocked to see the normally vibrant (if often annoying) engineer seemingly cowering next to Tyr silently.  
  
Harper didn't attract any undue attention to himself and Tyr had already made two complete circuits of the room to memorize the layout, when Charlemagne Bolivar happened to notice them as he entered the room.  
  
"Tyr Anastazi, how… unexpected to see you." The Archduke proclaimed dramatically. "And who is this? He looks a little like an annoying engineer I met once."  
  
"I would suggest not continuing this line of questioning." Tyr cautioned, leading the Archduke away from the crowd with a hand on his back. Once they got out into the deserted hallway, Tyr let Bolivar stop and blocked his view of the doorway. Harper merely continued with the docile servant act and looked at the ground, incase anyone happened to interrupt them.  
  
"Not the smartest place to be right now… considering." Bolivar commented casually.  
  
"The only place we would be right now." Tyr answered looking resolute.  
  
"It would be a terrible shame if someone were to recognize you and blow your cover."  
  
"True."  
  
"Perhaps we could come to a mutually advantageous outcome." Bolivar said looking smug. "Although I could just introduce you and the kludge to the assembled right now. Couldn't I?"  
  
"You could." Tyr acknowledged looking bored with the conversation. "But then I'm afraid I would have no choice but to blow up your ship, including your two newborn sons and your wife, plus half your pride."  
  
"You're bluffing." Bolivar stated, although he looked a little less sure of himself.  
  
"Am I?" Tyr asked, taking out the bomb trigger from one of his coat pockets. "Are you willing to take that chance?"  
  
"Very well." Bolivar agreed, backing down after staring at Tyr for a short time. "I will say nothing about your identity."  
  
"You will do more than that if you wish your family to survive."  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"Such as create a diversion when all of the crew enter the room, so that no one will be looking at us at the time."  
  
"Ahhh… and if I do this?" Bolivar asked. "How do I know you won't blow up my ship afterwards?"  
  
"You don't." Tyr answered with a smirk.  
  
"You two will pay for this." Bolivar growled angrily.  
  
"Undoubtedly." Tyr acknowledged. "But not today." 


	12. The Distraction

Past Reflections 11/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
The Distraction  
  
Twenty-two minutes later their hosts were serving food, waiting for the last Nietzschean bidder to arrive. It was during this time that Justaice walked into the room, noticing Harper straight away. Harper unfortunately did not see Justaice approach until Tyr pointed him out to Harper, right before he reached them. It took a supreme force of will for Harper to keep any overt reaction from his face as he saw the man that had been haunting his nightmares for the last three years of his life. As he had since he entered the compound, Harper kept his eyes averted and stayed behind Tyr, in a position of extreme submission.  
  
"I never thought I would see you on this planet again, boy." Justaice sneered once he came within speaking distance. Harper kept his face carefully neutral and his body docile.  
  
"You know this man?" Tyr asked contemptuously, eying the other Nietzschean from head to toe. Harper, having Tyr's position to look, glanced at Justaice before quickly returning his gaze to the floor.  
  
"Yes Master." Harper responded in a monotonous voice, while inwardly screaming obscenities at Justaice and all his Nietzscean ancestors.  
  
"Master?" Justaice questioned incredulously. "The reckless kludge I knew would have rather died that call any Nietzschean master."  
  
"We have an understanding." Tyr grinned sadistically. "He follows my directions without comment, and I do not slaughter his cousin."  
  
Although his cousin was more than likely already dead, Harper stiffened noticeably at hearing his name mentioned. Justaice saw this and laughed at Harper's discomfort.  
  
"I will give you 300 throngs for him." Justaice offered, smirking at Harper lewdly.  
  
"It would be difficult to find another slave who would be as," Here Tyr paused to grab Harper's ass and squeeze it heartily. "Entertaining."  
  
"The kludge and I have some unfinished business." Justaice exclaimed. "Name your price."  
  
"How exactly do you know the mud foot?" Tyr questioned.  
  
"He was responsible for the destruction of half my pride." Justaice growled in remembrance. "How much do you want for him?"  
  
"Frankly I wouldn't do business with such an inferior genetic specimen even for a slave. How pathetic to let this tiny human get the better of a Nietzschean." Tyr sneered looking disgustedly at Justaice. Before Tyr could continue to deride Justaice further however, an elaborately dressed Nietzschean entered through a hidden side entrance and made his way to the front of the room. Soon everyone had quieted down waiting for the man, whom Harper could only assume to be their esteemed host, to speak.  
  
"Welcome. As most of you know, I am Sadack Nafrel of the Drago Katsov." He said gesturing grandly. "Tonight's festivities will prove to be entertaining for all I am sure. I have come into possession of three high-quality slaves, who just so happen to be the former crew of the Andromeda Ascendant."  
  
Nafrel waited for the surprised murmers to die down before he continued. "These three have a thorn in our collective side for over a year, and I believe it is time that we disabuse them of their perceived place in the Nietzschean universe."  
  
Amid roars of approval Dylan, Beka and Trance were unceremoniously led into the room in restraints. Harper sucked in a distraught breath after seeing Dylan's face. He was by far in the worst condition. The two women seemed frightened but relatively unharmed, whereas Dylan Hunt's whole face was black and blue and his left arm was hanging by his side at an awkward angle. Even Dylan's injuries were a lot less severe than they could have been, possibly due to the auction going on around them. After all what Nietzschean would buy a defective slave.  
  
As soon as the slaves were brought onto the platform, the Archduke started arguing loudly with Nafrel.  
  
"You've already beat Hunt!" Bolivar growled. "Why would we pay any money for an already broken-in slave? That's just boring."  
  
"Now calm down." Nafrel encouraged. "He misbehaved and I disciplined him, that is all."  
  
"I have had the displeasure of meeting Captain Hunt before, and if he isn't trying to diplomatically talk his way out of his captivity or fight his way out, then he was more than merely disciplined. He was broken!"  
  
During the Archduke's tirade, the crew realized the Harper and Tyr were in the room, having caught their attention while Bolivar continued speaking.  
  
"Let's do this." Harper whispered under his breath so that only Tyr could hear him. With a quick nod in Dylan's direction, Tyr armed the Shrillers and threw them in four different directions throughout the room.   
  
Soon thereafter Nietzscheans began dropping left and right, holding their heads in excruciating pain. Unfortunately, Tyr did not get his ear plugs in place in time, so he was among those groaning on the floor. Taking the ear plugs from Tyr's clenched hand, Harper gently placed them in Tyr's ears so that he could once again function. By the time Tyr was on his feet, and they were both armed, a few of the less sensitive Nietzscheans were shakily getting to their feet and moving to attack. 


	13. Escape!

Past Reflections 13/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
Escape!  
  
When Harper and Tyr saw the three Nietzscheans, including Justaice, blocking their way they had no time to waste. Before long two of the three Nietzscheans were on the floor unconscious.   
  
Tyr was still grappling with Justaice, and Harper was trying to convince his feet to move closer so that he could help, when suddenly Justaice fell lifelessly to the floor with a hole in his chest where his heart used to be. Tyr was standing over him with his still charged force lance in his hand. The other three crewmembers were waiting at the end of the stage, although their hands were still electronically locked together, causing simple movement to be difficult.  
  
Tyr led the five of them through the exit, with Harper in the back covering their escape. Anyone that rose to his feet, Harper shot with his blaster, thereby incapacitating him. After the last crewmember left the room Tyr set up the force field device and quickly led the others to the upper floor, where the roof connected to a nearby house. The battered crew only came upon four other guards which were easily taken out by Tyr as they approached their position.  
  
"This way." Tyr exclaimed after seeing the proper ledge from the blueprints Malick obtained. Quietly the others followed the Nietzschean out the window and over the roof until they were on top of the building directly to the right of the auction house.   
  
All of them let out a collective sigh in relief but, continued their journey without talking as they came to the street. From there it took them only thirty minutes of light jogging to get back to the Maru, where upon Dylan, Beka and Trance all started asking questions at once.  
  
"The Nietzscheans will be on our trail soon. I suggest we get off this planet before we answer your questions." Tyr said, making his way to the cockpit to pilot the ship off of Braxus 7.  
  
"Come on guys." Harper smirked. "Let's take a look at those bracelets. They're nice but they don't really match your shirt, boss."  
  
"Harper." Beka Valentine growled. "Just get these off. I am not in the mood."  
  
"Calm down. Trust in the Harper." Harper murmured, ignoring the jerking of the ship as the Eureka Maru disembarked, concentrating on the locking mechanism.  
  
Just before the Maru boarded the Andromeda seven minutes later, Harper had all of the restraints removed and laying harmlessly at his feet.   
  
"Come on… repeat after me. The Harper is good."  
  
"Can it, Harper." Beka said irritably, as they collectively made their way to Medbay as Rommie set a course away from the planet.  
  
"Aww, you know you love me, Beka." 


	14. The Journey Continues

Past Reflections 14/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
The Journey Continues  
  
As the Andromeda continued on their way, Rommie randomly strip streaming away from Braxus, the others were in the Medbay. Harper and Tyr were checking over the others for injuries. Having been cleared for duty Trance, soon took over Dylan and Beka's treatment.   
  
Although Beka looked relatively unharmed, she had a few minor injuries that were treated by nano-bot injections. After that, a few days rest and she would be as good as new. Dylan's injuries were a little more extensive, however, so they would take a little more time to heal. His facial bruising was healed immediately upon his return to the Andromeda, but his arm was broken in several spots and even nano-bots weren't enough to heal him completely.   
  
He would need to wear a brace on his upper arm and elbow for a few weeks, but would soon have full mobility with a comprehensive rehabilitation regiment. Over all the adventure, while harrowing, turned out a lot better than it could have for the three captured crewmembers.  
  
After making sure the others would be okay, Harper returned to his quarters to find a scrambled and untraceable message waiting for him on his console. Turning it on he had a fair idea of who it was from. On the screen was Malick looking both saddened and amused at the same time.  
  
"Well Shay, I guess this is goodbye again. Don't get me wrong I almost wish your family were still trapped on Braxus so I could see you for longer. But man, what you and that big Uber did to that place was awesome. I checked it out after you left and the place was in chaos. You may have noticed that there weren't any Niets patrolling the street during your escape. Let's call that returning a long overdue favor. I got the extra throngs you left in that pipe vent, but I wouldn't want to be you when your pet Nietzschean finds out that you ripped him off. Ah well, it was good to see a fellow Earther off of that rock alive. Take care of yourself Seamus, and give those Magog bastards hell Boston-style. See you on the other side, bro."  
  
Harper continued to stare at the blank screen long after Malick had disappeared, his eyes full of moisture, as he reminisced about the odd friendship that had spanned a decade on a slave world thousands of miles away. He stood up shakily and stripped out of his dirt encrusted slave-garb, and threw it down the incinerator chute before stepping into a hot shower. Harper began soaping up his aching shoulders and back, and before he knew what he was doing, he found himself scrubbing off the two top layers of skin in a futile effort to get clean. Unbeknownst to the engineer, tears were running freely down his cheeks, as he frantically tried to scrape the dirt away. So wrapped up in nightmares and terror only he could see, it took him by surprise when Andromeda snapped into being on the other side of his shower stall.  
  
"Harper, are you okay?" The hologram asked worriedly. "I have monitored your heartbeat and blood pressure, and both were rising rapidly."  
  
"I'm fine, Rommie. Just letting off some steam. Nothing to worry about." Harper answered quietly, hoping the hologram would take the hint and leave him alone.  
  
For once, she did, although she was more worried than ever. Perhaps most of all, because Harper did not even try to proposition her while she was in his fresher. Under any and all other circumstances the lecherous engineer would not have let such a prime opportunity pass without comment. Not knowing the cause of Harper's distress, Andromeda simply decided to keep a closer eye on her engineer, as she dematerialized from the room.  
  
Harper breathed easier once she left him to his own thoughts, although for the first time since he entered the shower he noticed that he scrubbed his skin to the point it was nearly bleeding and his breath was coming in rapid gasps. Forcing himself to breath normally, Harper exited the shower wrapped in a long robe, that he rarely had cause to use. In this instance it helped him feel a bit more secure with his surroundings.   
  
After a quick toweling off, he threw on a thick pair of pajamas buttoned up to his neck and got into bed, exhausted both mentally and physically. Harper took out his dagger, that had become a part of himself once again in such a short period of time, and pushed it out of sight under his pillow. Harper had intended to put the outfit he brought out of storage for this mission away as soon as he returned to the Andromeda, but he was simply too tired to think about getting up to replace it in his closet, and perhaps a small part of him missed that part of himself that he kept hidden.   
  
Either way, Harper would have to do more than simply putting away his Earther clothes, if he wanted to put the past behind him successfully once again. Harper had only been asleep for a few hours when he woke up screaming, drenched in sweat, haunted by Justaice's torture even in his sleep. The rest of the night passed in much the same manner, until it was late enough for Harper to get up for the day and begin his work. 


	15. The Debriefing

Past Reflections 15/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
The Debriefing  
  
Harper was deeply immersed in a project in Machine Shop 3 when Andromeda materialized suddenly right behind him. This caused him to jump in surprise and reach for his dagger, which was strapped once again on his hip. He only relaxed slightly when he realized where he was and who was near him.  
  
"What's going on, beautiful?" Harper asked.  
  
"The Captain wants you to report to the briefing room. Tyr is already on his way."  
  
"Alright, just let me finish this before I go. Do me a favor, RomDoll. Tell Dylan I'll be there in a few minutes."  
  
"Very well, Harper, but be quick."  
  
After the AI disappeared Harper relaxed and tried to work out his tense muscles. He wasn't sure why he was so uncomfortable on the Andromeda, nor why he was on constant alert. He knew his friends wouldn't attack him, but he could seem to drop his guard again, since he returned from the planet. Rubbing a weary hand through his hair and down the back of his neck, Harper let out an exasperated sigh. [Damn, I never should have brought out this stuff from Earth. I didn't think about it for a reason.]  
  
After replacing his tools in his tool belt and putting it around his waist, Harper slowly made his way out of the Machine Shop toward the briefing room. Taking a deep breath, he entered the room poised and breathing easily, only to be surprised by the presence of all the crew, with the exception of Rommie. As he walked towards the table all eyes were on him until he sat down in the only available seat next to Dylan.  
  
"Normally I would speak to you and Tyr alone, but considering the rest of the crew was incapacitated during your rescue I thought you could tell us what happened all at once." Dylan said in explanation.  
  
Harper looked at Tyr and raised an eyebrow in his direction, who simply looked at him calmly before beginning an account about what happened on the planet.  
  
"An acquaintance of Harper's gave us reliable information about your whereabouts and we proceeded to go in undercover to the auction. We happened to come upon Charlemagne Bolivar upon our entrance and we were able to convince him to cause a distraction."  
  
"How did you get him to agree?" Beka asked incredulously.  
  
"Harper put a bomb on his ship and we simply informed him of it's existence." Tyr explained, ignoring Dylan's annoyed reaction simply continuing with the story. "You know the rest, we used shrillers to incapacitate the Nietzscheans and Malick cleared the way for our escape."  
  
"Malick?" Trance asked.  
  
"The friend of Harper's who got us into the auction. Altogether worth the inflation of price I would say." Tyr added looking at Harper as he squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. Harper snapped his gaze up to Tyr's looking the Nietzschean in the eye for the first time since he entered the room.  
  
"Is that all, Mister Harper?"  
  
"Ya, boss. Tyr got everything, except for expounding on my freaking genius. It was a thing of beauty. I tinkered with the bombs and shrillers and-"  
  
Harper was interrupted by Dylan's laughter.  
  
"It's good to be back, Harper. I am sure you can tell us all about your genius at a later time."  
  
"Nobody appreciates me." Harper mumbled loud enough for the others to hear. "See if I ever save your asses again. Hmmph."  
  
As the crew left the briefing room, Harper was still talking about his genius and how under appreciated his inventions are. Once the others left, Harper slumped back down in his chair and stopped making smart-ass comments. He let out a sigh of relief that they were not questioned further and rested his head on the table, not hearing Tyr as he reentered the room silently. 


	16. The Unannounced Visitor

Past Reflections 16/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. Don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
The Unannounced Visitor  
  
"I assume you wanted something." Harper commented softly without removing his head from the table. When Tyr did not answer immediately, Harper lifted his head to glare at him.  
  
"You have been excessively quiet since we got back." Tyr said, looking over the seemingly exhausted engineer.  
  
"I'm just tired, Big Guy." Harper explained semi-truthfully. "You know me, I'm usually in engineering during missions, so I'm not exactly used to the physical demands. I was still wired last night once we got back, and I couldn't get to sleep until late."  
  
"You are sure?" Tyr asked questioningly.  
  
"Absolutely… But thanks for the concern. It makes me all warm and fuzzy." Harper joked as he fairly skipped out of the room.  
  
"Fuzzy?" Tyr called after the retreating engineer causing the blonde to laugh uproariously.  
  
The blonde's good humour lasted most of the day as Harper continued fixing the parts of the Andromeda that he didn't get a chance to after the attack. This was quite a bit of work for anyone, even a genius engineer of Harper's caliber, so he was busy non-stop until Dylan called the crew to the docking bay to welcome an unexpected visitor on board.  
  
Harper shuffled out from under the circuit board he had been working under exasperatedly. "How does Captain Terrific expect me to get any work done around here when he keeps interrupting me?" Harper questioned the ceiling as he made his way toward the docking bay. "Let him wonder why the weapon's don't work when we're under attack." Harper entered the docking bay still mumbling to himself as the others noted his entrance.  
  
"Good of you to join us, Mister Harper." Dylan said, moving to the side so that Harper got his first view of their guest. He almost took a step back from the angry Nietzschean who was by turns glaring at him and Tyr, but held his ground at the last moment.  
  
"Hey Charlie, how's it hanging?" Harper asked casually, keeping a hand on his dagger, a movement not lost on Bolivar. "What brings you to the Andromeda?"  
  
"You know perfectly well why I am here, kludge! Now you will fix my ship immediately." Bolivar growled menacingly.  
  
"Now Archduke if you would just calm down, I am sure that whatever the problem is can be settled in a timely manner." Dylan interjected calmly, stepping in front of the furious Nietzschean.  
  
"The problem, Captain, is that this mud foot has incapacitated my ship!" The archduke bellowed.  
  
"Mister Harper, is this true?"  
  
"You already know very well that I sabotaged their ship." Harper explained, "It is not my fault that his people are so incompetent that they cannot fix it."  
  
"Surely your crew can disengage a simple bomb?" Dylan asked, somewhat confused by Bolivar's extreme reaction.  
  
"We could if it was simply a bomb." Bolivar explained, gaining some semblance of calm. "However it would be accurate to say he infiltrated the Ship's systems after we disabled the bomb closed off a few essential command pathways."  
  
"Shall we discuss what I closed off, Charlie?" Harper asked, glaring at the Archduke.  
  
"That is not the point, Harper." Dylan interjected.  
  
"But Dylan-" Harper said only to be interrupted by Dylan.  
  
"You will fix his ship." Dylan ordered. "Since we are all back aboard the Andromeda, there is no need for such extreme measures."  
  
"You can't be serious." Harper argued heatedly. "He would sell us out in a second if he thought it was in his best interest."  
  
"Now is neither the time or place to address your hatred of Nietzscheans, however, the same could be said of Tyr and yet you seem to trust him. The Jaguar are a part of our charter, and blackmailing members of the commonwealth is hardly the precedent we wish to set." Dylan reiterated, ignoring Harper's reaction when he mentioned Tyr. "In fact it is a fine way to start a war. Now I don't want to know what you did to the Archduke's systems, but fix it immediately."  
  
Harper wasn't too thrilled, but Dylan didn't seem likely to change his mind, even if it was an incredibly naïve decision.  
  
"Fine." Harper answered impassively. "Let me get some more tools before I begin." 


	17. Into the Lion's Den

Past Reflections 17/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. Don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
Into the Lion's Den  
  
As Harper quickly gathered his tools from the floor of the Machine Shop he couldn't help but feeling edgy when thinking about what he was about to do. Whether Dylan Hunt thought it was necessary or not, the pragmatist in Harper was screaming to be heard. The precautions were simply and relatively straightforward, at least for him, but they were also quite effective in accomplishing Harper's objectives. God he was even starting to think like Tyr. The last of his tools were gathered in his tool belt in moments and Harper left the machine shop and headed to his quarters. On his way there he bumped headlong into someone while turning a corner. Before he could sprawl backwards on the floor however, he was caught in a strong grip by a pair of muscular chocolate-colored arms, complete with bone spurs.  
  
"Hey Big Guy, fancy bumping into you." Harper said as Tyr set him upright on his feet.  
  
"The Cargo bay is in the opposite direction, Little Man." Try responded matter-of-factly. "So, where precisely were you headed to in such a rush?"  
  
"I wasn't rushing, just figured I would stop by my quarters first is all. Is that alright with you?' Harper responded defensively.   
  
"Go where ever you choose Harper." Tyr answered. "I just didn't wish to wait for you if you were going to be long."  
  
"Wait for me?" Harper asked.  
  
"I will be accompanying you on Bolivar's ship."  
  
"Dylan didn't need someone to check up on me." Harper grumbled angrily. "I said I'd fix Bolivar's damn ship and I will. Even if it is one of the most uninformed and stupid decisions he's ever made."  
  
"Captain Hunt did not order me to accompany you." Tyr interrupted when it became obvious that the engineer had no plans of stopping on his own.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yes. Now if you would like to gather weapons in your quarters I suggest we be on our way." Tyr suggested.  
  
"Hey, How'd you know what I was doing and why are you coming with me?" Harper asked curiously as he made his way to the crew deck.  
  
"It would only be logical to come prepared when entering enemy territory." Tyr explained. "I would expect such tactics from you at present. Besides, I could very well leave you to fend for yourself. If you were killed on board their vessel who would fix the ship?"  
  
"You know Big Guy, one of these days that excuse is going to become repetitive." Harper commented humorously. "And then what will you do when you are worried about us inferior species?"  
  
"I am sure I will deal somehow." Tyr answered dryly.  
  
The two crewmembers met up with the Archduke in the Docking Bay once Harper had gathered the necessary weaponry. Basically that included his spare dagger and his Nan welder, as well as two shrillers. The Nan welder was mostly included as a discreet weapon in case of an emergency. It made for a less obvious choice rather that a blaster strapped to Harper's hip. Tyr wasn't carrying any noticeable weapons, but Harper doubted he would go anywhere without a means to defend himself if necessary.  
  
They made their way to the docking ring and were soon inside the hovering ship. Without waiting for Charlemagne to speak Harper walked past him striding toward the doors of the Agamemnon waiting for the others to follow his lead.  
  
"Well, lets go. I have better things to do than cater to you." Harper all but growled at Bolivar as they entered his ship, looking annoyed rather than scared.  
  
"Look kludge, I am not your Kodiak. I will not tolerate your disrespect."  
  
"I will be perfectly content to return to my ship, Uber." Harper growled, only to be interrupted by Tyr clearing his throat forcefully.  
  
"If we are quite through children, I believe we are here for a reason." Tyr reminded them.  
  
"Quite." Bolivar said with as much dignity as he could gather. "Right this way."  
  
The Archduke led them through the cargo bay out into the corridor where Jaguars wielding gauss guns pointed in their direction promptly surrounded them.  
  
"I told you this was a terrible idea, Big Guy." Harper swore under his breath as he stepped closer to Tyr, staring down the barrel of a gun pointed at his head. "And you wonder why I hate Ubers!" 


	18. Dubious Mercies

Past Reflections 18/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. Don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
Dubious Mercies  
  
"Well now, this is a surprise." Tyr commented calmly, looking at the Archduke. "I do believe you have made your point."  
  
"Have I?" Bolivar asked softly, pulling a gun from its side-holster and pointing it directly at Tyr's head. "I do not think so. You see I do not appreciate being made a fool of."  
  
"Well, Charlie you must be a very unhappy uber, because frankly it wasn't that difficult a thing to do." Harper sneered, in a pale imitation of his humorous banter with the crew.  
  
Bolivar growled low in his throat and pivoted toward Harper's direction.  
  
"Perhaps, you should keep your mouth shut, boy." Tyr commented  
  
"When have you ever known me to do that, Tyr?" Harper asked incredulously.  
  
"You should listen to the Kodiak, Mudfoot. I am in no mood for your sass."  
  
"It must really grate at you that a kludge sabotaged your ship. We both know you need me alive to fix your ship, Charlie, so let's cut this crap, huh?"  
  
"As you wish, but keep in mind that after you fix the ship, I could just as easily cause you two to have a 'misfortunate accident.' So keep your sarcasm to a minimum, boy." Bolivar commented idly, while his men lowered their weapons.  
  
"Yeah, and Dylan could accidentally blow your ship to kingdom come, what's your point?" Harper hisses menacingly, as he followed the Archduke to the engine room, closely followed by Try.  
  
When they arrived, Bolivar stationed two guards outside the door, as he and another guard accompanied Tyr and Harper into the room.  
  
"You have probably figured out my aversion to Nietzscheans by now, so forgive the paranoia but Tyr will stay in the room while I am jacked in to your ship." Harper commented as he took out his connector and a few tools.  
  
"I will be in the room as well, to make sure you don't damage my ship further." Bolivar answered taking a seat on the far side of the room.  
  
"I would expect nothing less." Harper continued, pulling of an access panel where he originally stored the bomb. "However, just because Dylan ordered me to fix your ship, don't assume I won't put a master command in the repairs which I will activate if you ever cross us."  
  
Before the Archduke could answer Harper jacked into the ship. He quickly found the infected files and fixed them, but not before downloading the tactical displays to his data port and imprinting a failsafe into Bolivar's ship. When he took the cables out of his data port, he had a better appreciation for Rommie after having interfaced with the Agamemnon. Once he became aware of his surroundings again he saw Bolivar cursing at Tyr about 'that damn mud foot.'   
  
"It's nice to know I'm loved all over the galaxy." Harper commented grandiosely.   
  
"You bastard, what did you do to my ship?" Bolivar demanded as he stalked toward the little engineer.  
  
"Nothing that will cause you the least bit of trouble as long as you keep your agreements to the Commonwealth." Harper answered seriously. "I saw the schematics and tactical reports of your plan to take over the Andromeda; I simply did my best to prevent that from ever happening. In the worst case scenario, if you ever did board our ship and incapacitate it's crew, I would put both ships on self-destruct courses."  
  
"You do not have the authority to destroy the Andromeda, only Captain Hunt can do that." Bolivar said disbelievingly.  
  
"I am the engineer of the ship, do you really think I don't have an answer for every contingency?" Harper asked dangerously.  
  
Bolivar looked into Harper's steady gaze and saw the truth in his eyes.  
  
"As long as you don't betray us, you and your ship are perfectly safe." Harper assured the speechless Archduke.  
  
"What it to stop me from killing you right now?" Bolivar asked cautiously. "Before you can enact any secret maneuvers against my Pride."  
  
"Nothing except I have put a default in the interface, that if I do not send a password to the ship from the Andromeda the ship will self-destruct in thirty minutes."  
  
"Very well." Bolivar agreed gesturing for the tow crewmembers to follow him out of the door. "It is a shame that your genes are so inferior, boy. You would make a devious Nietzschean." 


	19. Stifling Conditions

Past Reflections 19/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. Don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
Stifling Conditions  
  
Over the next few weeks all of the crew began to notice Harper's withdrawal and grew increasingly concerned. Harper was avoiding all of his shipmates whenever possible and only came onto the bridge during a crisis.   
  
He worked straight through the day most times, having Rommie remind his to eat at all. Harper was like a man possessed, during the nights when he wasn't working on some gadget or other he was in the gym fighting invisible demons with the privacy lock engaged.   
  
When Beka and Trance questioned him on his behavior he just insisted he was fine and would then make a lewd comment thereby distracting them. However, even his pick-ups and jokes rang hollow with the crew, and the cracks in his facade began to break down.   
  
Not that he wasn't the fun-loving horny guy he portrayed himself to be, but he was finding it increasingly hard to shake off his past as he has done in the past. He would get bogged down in night terrors whenever he would get to sleep and they would continue to haunt him throughout the following day.  
  
The ship became a less amusing place to be with Harper increasingly withdrawn and quiet and even Tyr was growing worried about the little professor. Tyr knew, or at least had a better idea of what was bothering Harper than his fellow crewmates, but he believed that Harper would simply work through his demons like he had in the past.   
  
After the third week of this troubling behavior Tyr decided he needed to become involved. During their time together on Braxus Tyr had grown to greatly respect the wily human, but it became evident to him just how much he had grown to care for him, when Harper stopped the playful teasing that had been a part of their interactions for the last few months.   
  
Although he hadn't noticed the comfort he felt with the kludge, it's absence brought home to Tyr exactly how much Harper meant to him and he found he missed the Human's sometimes fatalistic sense of humor. With thoughts of dragging Harper forcefully out of his depression in mind, Tyr strode purposefully to the gym where Harper was currently beating a punching bag senseless.  
  
"Ship, let me into the gym." Tyr ordered imperiously.  
  
"As you well know, Harper has the doors locked and privacy mode engaged." Andromeda answered after materializing directly in front of Tyr.   
  
"The boy has been slowly killing himself, he gets no sleep and barely eats." Tyr reminded the ship's hologram. "How long will you let this continue?"  
  
"You think he will listen to you?" Andromeda asked incredulously. "You two can barely stand each other at the best of times without getting into an argument."  
  
"You know nothing about my interactions with Mister Harper, so I would suggest, Ship, that you cease to speculate. Now let me in." Tyr ordered disdainfully, having no desire to explain his difficult relationship with the ship's engineer, let alone his latest epiphanies.  
  
"Very well." Andromeda acknowledged reluctantly. "But I will be watching you. Do not upset Harper further."   
  
Tyr did not answer the AI instead he simply walked through her non-corporeal form and entered the now unlocked gym quietly, making no noise as he did so.  
  
Harper was so immersed in his activities that he remained unaware of Tyr's presence allowing the Nietzschean to watch him unnoticed and uninterrupted. What he saw worried him further.  
  
Harper was using a standard style force lance extended as a pike and was tirelessly fighting with enemies only he could see. Gone was the flashy clothes the engineer was famous for, it their place Harper was wearing a pair of black cloth trousers and no shirt. Sweat was dripping of his wiry frame causing the pants to stick to his legs, clearly defining his bunching muscles as he moved. Harper had lost a considerable amount of weight and his eyes had a haunted look to them that the boy had been successful in hiding from the crew until now. 


	20. Invisible Enemies

Past Reflections 20/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. Don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
Invisible Enemies  
  
"Who are you fighting, little professor?" Tyr asked from his position just inside of the doorway. Harper was so involved in his practicing that he wasn't aware of the Nietschean's presence. When Tyr suddenly spoke, Harper lost his concentration and while trying to turn around and face the interloper, tripped and dropped the force lance. Tyr said nothing as the engineer hastily rose from his undignified position on the floor, watching amusedly as Harper cursed colorfully all the while rubbing his lower back.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" Harper growled ignoring the smirk on Tyr's face. "And just how did you get in anyway?"  
  
"I was concerned about your recent behavior and I convinced the ship to let me in." Tyr answered.  
  
"I'm fine, big guy. Let it rest." Harper assured him flashing a fake smile in Tyr's direction, before he turned back to continue his workout.  
  
"You are not fine." Tyr insisted, grabbing the fleeing engineer's arm gently to keep him from turning away. Harper looked angrily down at the spot where Tyr clutched his arm and tried to pull away with little success. "I am not as gullible as the rest of our crew. I know that you are deeply troubled and I will not leave here until I find out what is the matter."  
  
"You will be waiting a long time then, Tyr. Now let me go." Growled Seamus as he fidgeted in place. Tyr merely tightened his grip slightly and dragged the struggling engineer over to the practice mats.  
  
"I will release you once you tell me why you are attempting to work yourself to death." Tyr reiterated resolutely.  
  
"Give me a break, will you? I am the sole engineer of a Commonwealth Warship. I am always busy and that isn't unusual." Harper explained patiently, looking as if Tyr had grown another head when he wasn't watching.  
  
"That does not explain what you are doing in the training room at 0330 in the morning, however."  
  
"Bugger off Tyr!" Harper yelled irritably while harshly pulling his arm from the large Nietschean's grasp. "If you are just here to rag on me, then leave. I was in the middle of something before you decided to pay me a visit."  
  
"As you wish." Tyr acknowledged, casually extending his force lance at his side.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Since you obviously in the mood to fight something, I figured I would give you a real flesh and blood opponent, rather then invisible demons." Tyr explained nonchalantly, waiting for the explosion he was sure would follow his statement. He did not have long to wait.  
  
"You know absolutely nothing about me Tyr, so why don't you just keep your genetically superior ass out of my business." Harper hissed taking a wild swing at the larger man. Tyr easily blocked the blow and reflected it back at the blonde.   
  
"On the contrary Harper. I know quite a bit about you." Tyr explained, again dodging a haphazard attack to his ribs. "You are a survivor." Hit. "You are a intelligent, cunning engineer." Hit. "And you are a deeply private person, you are a wolf in sheep's clothing when you have to be. You intentionally try to seem clumsy and arrogant, so that everyone underestimates your true intelligence." Leg sweep. "On top of that, you are almost Nietschean in your resolve to live no matter what the universe throws at you." Parry. "And you are a romantic hidden deeply inside the realist you show to the world."   
  
By the end of Tyr's exposition on Harper's traits they were both breathing heavy and each sported a variety of bruises. Harper had quieted somewhat from his open belligerence of earlier in the night, and was instead now looking at Tyr with something closely resembling awe.  
  
"You see a lot." Harper commented softly lowering his weapon, looking at Tyr through narrowed eyes. "And I appreciate the concern for my well-being, but I will be my charming self eventually."  
  
"Eventually?" Tyr asked, raising an eyebrow as he too lowered his force lance.  
  
"Look, I don't expect you to understand and I didn't feel like getting into it with the others, but I am used to a certain amount of nightmares in my life. I generally lock my memories of Earth and Justaice in particular away, so that I don't consciously think about it. With the last mission, all of it was brought back, but I'm dealing with it." Harper explained in as little details as possible.  
  
"By working yourself to exhaustion for over a week?" Tyr questioned.  
  
"It is the only way I can get any sleep at all." Harper answered reluctantly, looking at the floor. He was therefore surprised when he was picked up and practically tossed over Tyr's left shoulder. Harper made an undignified squeak as Tyr stalked out of the training room. "Um.. Big Guy, where are we going?"  
  
"To sleep." Tyr answered shortly, continuing to stride down the deserted hallways of the Andromeda. It was only after a few minutes of looking dazedly at Tyr's leather clad butt, that Harper realized they weren't headed to his quarters but to the Nietschean's instead. 


	21. A Peaceful Night

Past Reflections 21/?  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda, Harper, Tyr etc. Don't belong to me, unfortunately. No infringement intended.  
  
Authors Notes: Rated R due to possible slash content and violence. I have been having some formatting problems, so if this comes out crazy bear with me.  
  
A Peaceful Night  
  
"My quarters are in the other direction, Big Guy." Harper commented from his position upside down across Tyr's back.  
  
"I am aware of that."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"You did not seem to be getting any sleep in your rooms, so I thought you should sleep in mine so I can keep an eye on you." Tyr explained matter-of-factly.  
  
"Um… Tyr… Have you been cooking with any kind of weird herbs that I should know of?" Harper asked hesitantly. "Because you're kind of in a strange mood."  
  
"If you continue not too sleep it will effect your productivity before long." Tyr explained gruffly. "I expect the ship to run at peak efficiency."  
  
"Didn't I already tell you that excuse wouldn't work forever?" Harper asked sounding amused. "Why is it so hard to say you were concerned about me?"  
  
"A Nietzschean would have to be inferior indeed to care about a kludge, boy."  
  
"Sure, Big Guy. Keep telling yourself that, maybe eventually you'll start to believe it."  
  
Tyr ignored the engineer as he continued to make his way to his quarters. Once he entered, he asked for privacy mode and put Harper gently on his bed. Now that he had Harper with him, Tyr was unsure of what to do.  
  
"Well Big Guy, if you wanted me in your bed, all you had to do was ask." Harper commented glibly, smirking at the Nietzschean's obvious discomfort. "No need to go cave-man on me."  
  
Although Tyr was aware of Harper joking, he decided it was the perfect opportunity to discuss his feelings with the wily engineer in a hypothetical setting. At least he would get a handle on Harper's possible response to such an overture.  
  
"If I knew it would be that simple I would have hauled you off to my bed a year ago." Tyr answered quite seriously, although the small curve of his lips gave him away somewhat.  
  
"What?" Harper shrieked. "Are you out of your mind?"  
  
"I am perfectly sane, I assure you." Tyr answered.  
  
"I thought the whole purpose of this was so that I could sleep?" Harper reminded Tyr desperately, ignoring the heavy pounding of his heart.  
  
"Quite right." Tyr acknowledged reluctantly. "We will have time to discuss this further after you get a full nights sleep."  
  
So saying Tyr began to strip out of his leather pants and chain mail vest, soon leaving him in only a pair of tight fitting briefs.  
  
"What are you doing?" Harper stammered nervously, for once no verbosity in sight.  
  
"Undressing for bed. You should do the same, those sweaty clothes must be uncomfortable." Tyr commented casually, throwing Harper a pair of shorts from his wardrobe.  
  
"Um, thanks man. I'll just go change… over there." Harper motioned to the washroom.   
  
"Take your time, Little Man."  
  
"Don't worry, I will." Harper mumbled under his breath, looking disbelievingly at Tyr, where he reclined on his bed looking quite comfortable. Harper closed the door sharply behind him once he hastily entered the washroom to get changed. He never saw Tyr smile as he walked away.  
  
"At least he didn't run screaming from the room." Tyr commented thoughtfully. "It went much better than I expected, really."  
  
Having teased Harper enough for one night, Tyr simply lowered the lights and got comfortable in the fare side of his bed, leaving enough room for Harper to lie comfortably. As Harper hesitantly made his way out of the washroom and toward the occupied bed, Tyr could hear the nervous beating of his heart from across the room.  
  
"Harper, I won't bite, now get in here and get to sleep." Tyr suggested calmly, turning over to look at the skittish engineer slowly approaching the bed.  
  
Harper lie down without a further word, leaving as much room between them as possible, only to start in surprise when Tyr pulled him practically on top of him a few minutes later.  
  
"Relax, Little Professor." Tyr murmured. "I will not hurt you."  
  
"I know that." Harper answered softly.  
  
"Well then, try to rest."  
  
It took a few additional seconds but Harper relaxed in his position on top of the Nietzschean, leaning his head on the broad chest. For the first time in what felt like years, Harper felt safe surrounded by a Nietzschean and went to sleep practically purring, without fear of his dreams. 


End file.
